Cuomo: Construction of new ramp to improve gateway connection between U.S. and Canada at Peace Bridge in Buffalo

by jmaloni

Press release

Fri, Mar 8th 2013 03:15 pm

Project will reduce
congestion and restore an Olmsted park

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo
announced Friday that New York will construct a new traffic ramp that will
connect the U.S. Peace Bridge Plaza directly to the northbound Thruway I-190.
The new ramp is part of the New York Gateway Connections improvement project,
which will reconfigure access to the U.S. Peace Bridge Plaza, reducing
congestion and improving traffic flow for both commercial and private vehicles.
This step, Cuomo said, will make the Peace Bridge a more effective conduit for
travel and commerce between the U.S. and Canada. The project will also utilize
the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy Master Plan, which was adopted into the
City of Buffalo Comprehensive Plan, to revitalize the historic Front Park by
removing Baird Drive.

"This project is a win
for the City of Buffalo, the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy and the Peace
Bridge plaza neighborhood, because it will provide efficient and effective traffic
movement between New York state and Canada and improve commerce between the two
economies," Cuomo said. "By removing Baird Drive and having Peace Bridge
traffic utilize Porter Avenue and the Thruway, we will move traffic away from a
residential neighborhood, provide better border security and restore the
historic character of Frederick Law Olmsted's Front Park."

The approximately $22
million project, which will create hundreds of jobs, including planners,
engineers, suppliers and construction workers, is expected to begin
construction in spring 2014 and be complete by the end of 2015. The state is
currently fast tracking the environmental impact statement with concurrent
design build procurement.

The plaza enhancements
will include:

•Reconfiguring
traffic flow to a single point of ingress and egress to and from the plaza.

•Adding a
direct connection from the U.S. Plaza to the northbound Thruway I-190.

•Adding a
new access point to the Peace Bridge from the City of Buffalo via Porter
Avenue.

•Removing
Baird Drive from Front Park.

"The Olmsted City, The
Buffalo Olmsted Park System: Plan for the 21st Century," which was developed
under the direction of the City of Buffalo and County of Erie, details six
goals for restoration of Front Park. The "U.S., New York Gateway Connection
Improvements" project addresses several of the goals: restoring the historic
integrity of the park from the period of significance, restoring and enhancing
the park's gateways and edges, establishing connections to areas surrounding
the park and restoring the basic park elements. While the restoration of Front
Park is complicated by its proximity to the Peace Bridge, New York state will,
through this project, provide significant momentum to achieving the Buffalo
Olmsted Parks Conservancy's restoration goals.

In addition, air quality
will be improved by the elimination of traffic lights at the plaza and on
Porter Avenue.

"Frederick Law Olmsted
envisioned Front Park as Buffalo's 'public face' to our northern neighbors,"
said Congressman Brian Higgins, who in 2010 joined with the Olmsted Parks
Conservancy in calling for the preservation of Olmsted's gateway vision for
Front Park. "This significant investment by the governor continues our efforts
to streamline the flow of traffic across our borders while enhancing the
corridor that welcomes visitors into the City of Buffalo, both of which improve
the neighborhood while building new economic opportunities for our city and
region."

"I want to thank the governor
for his leadership in restoring park land to Front Park, which also includes a
plan to move traffic away from the adjacent residential neighborhood," said
City of Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown.

Buffalo Olmsted Parks
Conservancy President and CEO Thomas Herrera-Mishler said, "The Buffalo Olmsted
Parks Conservancy has long advocated for the removal of Baird Drive, taking
bridge traffic out of this historic landscape and reconnecting Front Park to
its community, allowing for another important step toward the restoration of
Frederick Law Olmsted's first park and parkway system and enhancing the
neighborhood. We applaud Gov. Cuomo for recognizing the importance of this goal
and helping make it a reality."

State Sen. Mark Grisanti
said, "I applaud the leadership of Gov. Cuomo, and all the partners working
together on this project. As chairman of the environmental conservation
committee, I am excited to see the green space persevered and restored around
the peace bridge, and the jobs that will be created from it."

Assemblyman Sean Ryan
said, "The positive impact that this project will have on Buffalo and Western
New York cannot be overstated. The improvements to traffic flow will enhance
commerce between the U.S. and Canada, and the associated reduction in
congestion will help to improve air quality throughout the nearby west side
neighborhoods. In addition, Olmsted's historic vision for Front Park will be
restored for everyone to enjoy. Gov. Cuomo's commitment to progress at the
Peace Bridge continues to bring good news for Western New Yorkers."

City of Buffalo
Councilmember David Rivera said, "I am supportive of Gov. Cuomo's announcement
that Baird Drive will be removed and land will be returned to the Olmsted Parks
Conservancy and the visitors of Front Park. Additionally, I am pleased to see
entry into the plaza will be improved to minimize idling vehicles. Moving the
entry point further from the neighborhood is a positive step in the right
direction towards a more environmentally friendly Peace Bridge Plaza."

NYSDOT Commissioner Joan
McDonald said, "Under the leadership of Gov. Cuomo, the New York State Department
of Transportation is commencing with a project to reconfigure access to the
U.S. Peace Bridge Plaza. The connectivity between the plaza and the adjacent
New York state interstate highway system and local streets will be enhanced,
improving the traffic flow on this strategic trade corridor in the City of
Buffalo, Erie County and in and out of Canada for both commercial and private
vehicles. The associated removal of Baird Drive from historic Front Park will
help to better align the park with the original vision of Frederick Law
Olmsted."

Buffalo and Fort Erie
Public Bridge Authority Chair Sam Hoyt said, "Gov. Cuomo and New York state
provided the much-needed leadership to move this project ahead. The U.S., New
York gateway connection improvements to the Peace Bridge will provide access
improvements to the existing U.S. Peace Bridge Plaza utilizing community and
Olmsted feedback, while enhancing the operations of border crossing facility at
its current location."

In addition to this
NYSDOT project, the Buffalo and Fort Erie Public Bridge Authority continues its
work on the U.S. Customs Commercial Building renovation, a $20 million-plus
project expected to commence construction in the fall of 2013 and take 18 to 24
months. The PBA is also advancing the Peace Bridge approach-widening project, a
$10 million-plus project to widen the throat of the bridge on the U.S. side to
facilitate smoother traffic movements, thus alleviating congestion within the
existing Peace Bridge U.S. Plaza. This construction is expected to start in the
fall of 2013 and take 18 to 24 months to complete.